Spring-wheel.



2. P. VAN KEEP.

SPRING WHEEL. APPLIGATION PXLBD JUNE 3, 19GB.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 BEBBTSJSHEET 1.

ufff-11111 Witnesses P. F. VAN KEEP.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED mma, 190s.

` Witnesses. 911ML .cm\

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UNITED s'rArnsraTnNT oFFioE.

PAULUS FRANUISKUS VAN KEEP, OF BREDA, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM 0F AMSTERDAMSGHE MAATSCHAIPIJ TOT EXPLOITATIE VAN UITVINDINGEN, 0F

AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS. y

` SPRING-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19,1911.

Application tiled .Tune 3, 1909. Serial No. 436,452.

To all whom it, may concern:

Be itlmown that I, PAULUS FnaNoisitus \'.\N Kin-n', a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Breda, Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful lmprovemcnts in hert-hy declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thc same, reference being had to the accompanyincr drawings, and to letters or figures of reilcrence marked thereon, which forni a part of this.specitication.

My invention relates to spring wheels, and has for its object to provide suitable spring cnnections between the hub.and felly of the wheel, said Spring connections combining the functions of both a spiral and a leaf spring. y

In structures heretofore known, the action of the springs between'the felly and rim is either too weak to supplant the action of api'teumatic tire, or not strong enough to meet the demands' u ion sudden changing of speed, or in sudden lbraking.A Sudden speed changes produce a relative rotation between hub and folly, due to the inertia of thc moving vehicle or automobile, so that there are simultaneously'produced in the spring spoke a bending moment and tension.

Referrinfr to the accompanying drawings, in. which Ilike parts are similarly designated-Figure 1 illustrates a 'wheel embody ing my invention, partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 isa transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 is 'a developed plan view of a spring spoke. Fig. 4 is an elevation of one ol' the spring spokes. Fig. 5 is a detail, showing peripheral perforations thron h which the spoke ,passes into the hub. Big. 6 is a diagram showing the normal position of one of the spokes. Fig. 'l indicates the fiexure due to relative rotation 'of the hub with respect to the felly in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 8 indicates the {'iexur'e due to the opposite rotation. Fi .L1 is a modification. Fig.

10 is a'view simi ar to Fig. 7 embodying the modification. Fig. 11 isa View similar to Fig. 8, embodying the modification.

In all of the figures vI Show aspring spoke coiled into a` spiral at one end, said s )irai end being connected at the center o the Spiing-iVlieels; and l do.

spiral Ato the telly, the spring preferably decreasing in width from its end at, the center of the spiral toward its opposite end, which is formed as a leaf/spring and secured in the hub. That portion oi' the spring which enters the hub is either radial or approximately radial to both hub and Spiral center. For that portion of cach spoke which is designed to have leaf spring laction I provide tivo abutments or bearings, here shown as mounted in the hub at points located intermediate the ends of the spoke and arranged on circles of different radii.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, each spring spoke which is shown in 4developed plan in Fig. 3, and in elevw tion in Fig. 4, is secured in the feily composedof sections b having circular pockets b between them, and these sections are secured between plates c. Passing through the plates c are suitable bolts e to which the spiral end f of each spoke is secured and fixed against rotation.

The hub, which may be of any desired lstrnotnreso long as it employs two s iaced plates, as o, has the other end or lea por` tion of the spring j' secured. thereto by means of bolts f1. This hub is closed 0r not, as desired, and in Figs. l and 2 I have shown a ring m closing the hub, said ring heilig provided with perforations m' 'through which the leaf portion of the sp1-inf f passes, Intermediate the ring m and tie end ot the spring held by bolt d is a bolt or pin i. Under normal conditions, or when the wheel is at rest, one side of cach spoke is quite close to` or has bearing against one edge of the perfor-ations m', whilethe other side is in similar relation to the bolt or pin h.

In lieti of the ring m and perforation m I -may use an additional bolt, such as Shown at z' in Fi .,6 to 8, or I may form a cut .in the side p ate a of the hub and turn the cut portion in to form a lug n, as shown in lgs 9, 1() and 11; the olt or, pm i and lugs n forming the eq'liivalent of the bearing point 011 one edge of the perforation m in ring m.

,The rotation of the hub withres eet to the felly in the direction shown y' the arrow in Fig. 7, flexes the spring portion, orfthe hub end of the spring from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7 to the tlons to produce fiexure of the leaf spring lative rotation of the hub with respect to the felly in the direction of the arrow Fi 8 will cause the hub end of the spring taie flexed from dotted line position to the full line there wi spoke.

The abutments, as noted above, are arranged on circles of diil'erent'radi. If, therefore, the springs are deflected in the one direction on an increase in the speed, and dciiccted in the other direction, when the brakes are applied, then the parts of the springs which arc subjected to the greatest stresses and strains alternate with each other, so that the strain has less elect than if the maximum strain and stress, when the springs were deflected in the two directions, occurred at the same spot.

By diminishing the Width of the sn'ing from the center of the spiral at the felly to the end of the leaf portion in the hub, the spiral portion is given a greater'strength, while the radial or approximately radial Iposition shown in Fig. 8, that is, l be a tendency, to stretch the .portion, vacting as the leaf spring is rendered more exible.

Any suitable tire may be used in connection with the felly.

I claim 1. In a spring wheel, the combination with a folly and a hub, of a spring spoke having a spiral end connected to the felly and a leaf spring end connected to the hub, and abutments on the hub between the oints of connection of said spokes with the ell and hub and on opposite sides of the s olives and independent of the end connecportion upon relative rotation of the hub and elly in either direction. 2. In a spring wheel, the combination with a felly and a hub; of a spring spoke having a spiral end connected to the felly and a leaf spring end connected to the hub, and abutments on the hub Ao opposite sides of the spokes intermediate ,of the ends of the spokes at diferentiradial distances from the center of the Wheel to' produce liexure of the leaf spring upor'i relative rotation of the hub and felly.

v3. In a sprin wheel, the combination with the telly an a hub; of a spring spoke having a spiral end connected to the fell and a leaf spring end connected to thehu and means on the hub at different radial distances from its centerand on each side of the leaf spring portion to produce flexure of the leaf spring portion upon relative rotation of the felly and huhr 4. In a spring wheel, the combination with a folly and a hub; of a spring spoke having a spiral end connected to the felly and a leaf spring portion connected to the hub, said s olle increasing in Width from the hub endpto the end at the center of the spiral, a lateral abutment on the hub on each side of the leaf spring 'portion of each spoke, said abutments being at different radial distances from the center of the wheel. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, l have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

i PLUS FRANCISKUS VAN KEEP. 

